Shellfish

ELCA Presiding Bishop to Keynote LC/NA Assembly

2012-01-20T07:09:00.000-04:00

Shrimp here.ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark S. Hanson will deliver the Keynote Address at "Reconciling Works 2012," the biennial assembly of Lutherans Concerned / North America and Reconciling in Christ conference in Washington, DC, July 6-10, 2012. According to the web page for the assembly/conference, Presiding Bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Mark S. Hanson will deliver the

PB Hanson: Building Trust Key Work of ELCA

2011-10-06T15:05:00.007-04:00

Shrimp here (believe it or not) inviting you to peruse the latest ELCA News release.ELCA NEWS SERVICEOctober 6, 2011ELCA presiding bishop says building trust is key work of this church11-127-MRCCHICAGO (ELCA) - The task before leaders of this church is to build communities of trust among people of faith, said the Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

Michigan ELCA Bishop Speaks Out

2011-03-30T14:22:00.005-04:00

Shrimp here. Apparently ELCA North/West Michigan Synod Bishop John Schleicher has been busy writing Letters to the Editor, for he shows up in two different newspapers on two vital topics. The following was published in the Holland Sentinel last Friday, the festival of the Annunciation of Our Lord: Saving the Earned Income Tax Credit is a moral imperative.By John David Schleicher Evangelical

Ah, Not Quite "Utter Silence"

2011-03-18T18:44:00.002-04:00

Shrimp again, with a quick followup to our post on Prof. Taylor's Epiphany Day presentation to the ELCA Conference of Bishops. Bishop Martin Wells of the Eastern Washington Idaho Synod wrote of the latest Bishops' Academy in the February issue of the Synod's Cross Connection: I’ve just returned from the annual Bishop’s Academy, a time of continuing education and relationship building. This year

Prof. Taylor: What Did Not Happen at the 2009 CWA

2011-03-18T17:23:00.002-04:00

Shrimp here, with a tip o' the claw to Pastor Marshall Hahn writing on ALPB Forum Online. (Note that if you click that link and get a blank page, re-load the page and it should come up. This seems to be a "feature" of the software behind that forum.) At the Conference of Bishops Academy on January 6, 2011, Dr. Walter Taylor was asked to give a presentation on the concerns of those "troubled by

Reactions to Cal Lutheran Students

2011-03-08T23:19:00.002-04:00

Shrimp again. "Students will now vote on constitution change," headlines the Echo, the student newspaper at California Lutheran University. On Monday the CLU judicial review panel made its review of the proposed constitutional amendment and also declined to remove two members of the student Senate from office. Read the entire article for some of the public on-campus discussion.Meanwhile, the

Should Cal Lutheran Student Body Set Aside "Christian Growth"?

2011-03-03T16:32:00.007-04:00

Shrimp here.The Associated Students of California Lutheran University, an ELCA-related college in Thousand Oaks, California, will be asked to vote to remove "to further Christian growth" from the student body's constitution according to reports at the Christian Post, the local Ventura County Star, and the CLU student newspaper the Echo. The proposed amendment, adopted Monday by the ASCLU Senate

Diversity in the ELCA: Agree, or else?

2011-01-18T15:04:00.005-04:00

Shrimp here, with this report from the Lutheran CORE Blog: ELCA evicts African Lutherans because of opposition to new ELCA teaching and policy The ELCA is taking harsh actions against African immigrant Lutherans who oppose the ELCA’s new teaching and policy on marriage and same-sex sexual relationships.Two African immigrant congregations have been expelled from local ELCA congregations where they

ELCA, Board of Pensions Respond to Lawsuit...

2011-01-15T15:21:00.002-04:00

Shrimp again.Midday Friday the ELCA News Service issued a press release in response to the suit reported in our last entry. We'll close this entry with the entire release, but we wanted to highlight a couple of quotes first.The ELCA's public response to the suit in essence is: "While we deny the allegations, we will not comment publicly on the specifics contained in the lawsuit so long as this

Pioneer Press: Lutheran pastors sue ELCA over annuity cuts

2011-01-11T20:45:00.002-04:00

Shrimp here. While we've done some reporting on the cancellation one year ago of a pension plan for employees of Augsburg Fortress, "the ELCA's publishing ministry," it turns out that we've not made mention of the reduction in benefits announced in October 2009 to those members of the ELCA Board of Pensions who had converted their retirement fund balances into annuities. For those not up to

ELCA's Director of African National Ministries Jumps Ship

2010-12-14T17:06:00.005-04:00

Shrimp again. Our URL here at Shellfish reads "save elca". But while there remain many pastors, congregations, and laity in the ELCA who aren't leaving simply because most of the ELCA's current churchwide, synodical, and seminary leadership is going after some other faith -- current leadership, after all, can change quickly, especially in a church that mimics "democratic" institutions -- a

Election in the ELCA

2010-11-02T17:29:00.004-04:00

Shrimp here. It's Election Day in the United States, which can mean only one thing for ELCA members: a press release announcing ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson's interaction with someone in the Office of the President of the United States. And, lo and behold, it was in the White House and with the President himself, so things seem to be better for the ELCA Presiding Bishop than they were, say

ELCA Presiding Bishop Tells Young People 'It Gets Better'

2010-10-29T07:03:00.005-04:00

Shrimp again, with a headline taken straight from yesterday's ELCA News Service release. The article that followed, however, wasn't even close to what we anticipated: ELCA NEWS SERVICEOctober 28, 2010ELCA Presiding Bishop Tells Young People 'It Gets Better'10-275-JBCHICAGO (ELCA) -- In a video essay posted on You Tube, the presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)

Braaten's Conference and The Lutheran

2010-10-28T11:19:00.005-04:00

Shrimp here.Subscribers to The Lutheran were treated to an editorial in the October 2010 issue (the one with Jack Benny, who died in 1974, on the cover -- don't get us wrong, Shrimp loves the comedy of Jack Benny, but what does putting him on the cover of The Lutheran tell you about the editorial staff's perception of the magazine's audience?) in which editor Daniel J. Lehmann justifies the

The ELCA's (Latest) Redesign

2010-10-15T11:27:00.002-04:00

Shrimp here.We'll admit to scratching our head as we were reading this thinking, "How did we find this?" But there we were on the web site of the Southwestern Minnesota Synod reading a pdf version of the Synod's PowerPoint® presentation for Bishop Jon Anderson's "webinar of effects on ELCA Redesign & Synodical Changes." That Synod's website also includes a link to a 24-minute video of

Orientation at Gustavus Adolphus

2010-10-14T14:48:00.002-04:00

Shrimp here. This year's new student orientation at Gustavus Adolphus College, an ELCA-related college in St. Peter, Minnesota, has become much discussed in the blogosphere thanks to some videos posted on YouTube by a student at the college. We'll point you here for a perspective from some of the more conservative students at Gustavus -- a post that includes a video of "a series of clips

Links

2010-10-07T15:30:00.002-04:00

Shrimp here, doing a little housecleaning at Shellfish. Namely our "Links" column.pretty good lutherans has said, "So long," though reporter Susan Hogan continues the religion beat at her Divinity and Beyond. Subtitled "Religion Across Minnesota," ELCA matters continue to show up on her newsblog now and then as part of the "stories about spirituality and religion around the state." So, so long

ELCA Pulls Out of Lutheran Malaria Initiative

2010-10-02T14:25:00.003-04:00

Shrimp here, with the disappointing news that the ELCA pulling out of the Lutheran Malaria Initiative, which "mobilizes the nearly 8 million Lutherans in the United States in the global fight against malaria." The initiative, which was given considerable prominence during the 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly, was to be a joint effort of the ELCA, LCMS, and Lutheran World Relief working with the

How Extraordinary!

2010-09-18T00:15:00.003-04:00

Shrimp here, just digging the lead from the ELCA News Service reporting the upcoming reception of Anita Hill, Phyllis Zillhart, and Ruth Frost on the ELCA clergy roster: Three pastors with historic ties to the struggle for inclusiveness in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) will be welcomed for the first time to the church's clergy roster when they participate in the church's "Rite

Follow Me: Sharing the Gospel

2010-08-19T09:22:00.005-04:00

Shrimp here, watching yet another riveting webcast performance by ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson. This one was held last Saturday, August 14, concluding Follow Me: Sharing the Gospel in a 2.0 World, "an ELCA conference for communicators, campus ministry staff and chaplains, and college/university students" held Aug. 11-14 at the Chicago Marriott.Courtesy the Evangelical Lutheran Church in

Bishop Hanson: "both heartbreaking and infuriating."

2010-06-28T16:17:00.005-04:00

Shrimp here, figuring that since it is our blog the Chair can't rule us "out of order" for attempting to bind our conscience to the one of four offically accepted perspectives not included in the new policy.Today the Presiding Bishop has issued this pastoral letter to the ELCA, which we offer to you for your edification.Pastoral Letter on Gulf Coast Oil Spill from Presiding Bishop Mark S.

2010-06-16T13:10:00.002-04:00

Scallop here, taking a break from sermon-prep and a certain text about demons being cast out of humans and into certain unkosher critters.Discerning shellfish-scouts, not to mention pastors and parishoners in forums, bishops' consultations, synod assemblies and the stillness of their hearts, have been asking one question over and over -- since last August and even before.The question? "What's

If a Picture Paints a Thousand Words...

2010-05-11T01:58:00.002-04:00

Shrimp here. When Cap'n Bill revived us in the Winter of '07-'08, we added a little graphic to the bottom of the Shellfish page that described this web log's state at that time. It remains to this day -- appropriately, we believe. Go ahead, you can go down there and look. The Shellfish viewer will realize that we didn't really put a whole lot of effort into that graphic.Someone else has,

Feelin' the Love in the ELCA

2010-05-10T14:41:00.005-04:00

Shrimp here. "Never argue with someone who buys ink by the barrel," went the old political adage that also fit well in the church. Witness, for instance, The Protestant Reformation.Thanks to the World Wide Web, though, large quantities of ink and newsprint are no longer necessary to get your message out. Witness, for instance, Shellfish itself.Or for more, uh, conventional churchly publishing

Seismo-theological alert

2010-05-05T14:13:00.002-04:00

Scallop checking in from the Monitoring and Emergency Preparedness Center of the Institute For Seismo-Theology (IFS-T): The IFS-T student body and faculty here just read the following ELCA newsblast and are calling for an all-out response in preparation for the discussions announced below: http://www.elca.org/News/

Beth Lewis' Letter to ELCA Rostered Leaders

2010-05-03T01:22:00.004-04:00

Shrimp here, with another tip o' the claw to pretty good lutherans. Augsburg Fortress CEO Beth A. Lewis has written an "Open letter to ELCA rostered leaders" and it appeared last Wednesday on her One Mission Blog. We offer it here in it entirety: Open letter to ELCA rostered leadersApril 28th, 2010 by Beth A. LewisLast week, I wrote the letter inserted below to the rostered leaders (pastors,

WA Network is done, but WordAlone not out

2010-04-25T00:49:00.003-04:00

Shrimp here, and that's the headline on this press release from the WordAlone Network. Tip o' the claw to Susan Hogan at pretty good lutherans. NEWS RELEASEFor immediate releaseFor information: Thomas Walker, vice president712-389-1735 or EmailApril 23, 2010WA Network is done, but WordAlone not outby Betsy Carlson, WordAlone Ministries' editorThe WordAlone Network is finished.But not the work

Churchwide Organization "Deeply Concerned"

2010-04-24T05:52:00.001-04:00

Shrimp here. Apparently in response to news of the lawsuit regarding the Augsburg Fortress pension plan's failure, the ELCA News Service has issued the following news release. We'll let you read it before we ask a couple of questions. ELCA NEWS SERVICEApril 23, 2010ELCA Churchwide Organization Responds to Pension Plan Lawsuit10-123-JBCHICAGO (ELCA) -- The churchwide organization of the

The ELCA's Economic Justice: See You in Court

2010-04-22T16:49:00.003-04:00

Shrimp here, with a follow-up on the the Augsburg Fortress pension plan that, "severely underfunded," was abruptly cancelled at the beginning of the year, leaving some 500 Augsburg Fortress retirees and employees with only a small fraction of what they had been promised at retirement. The Wall Street Journal reported first thing this morning: Employees and retirees of Minneapolis publisher

ELM Gives Thanks

2010-04-13T15:22:00.001-04:00

Shrimp again. Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries issued this statement yesterday: Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries (ELM) gives thanks that the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is now living more fully into the inclusive vision that many have had for this church for so long.The ELCA made historic advances toward being a more inclusive church when the Church Council formally adopted

Lutherans Concerned Triumphant

2010-04-12T15:44:00.000-04:00

Shrimp again, with the reaction from Lutherans Concerned/North America.ELCA Church Council approves all full-inclusion revisions without opposing votesSunday, 11 April 2010 17:33This weekend, the ELCA Church Council meeting in Chicago moved the decision of the 2009 Churchwide Assembly into policy by replacing the language in church documents that excluded ministers in committed same-gender

It's Official: ELCA Church Council Acts

2010-04-12T01:14:00.002-04:00

Shrimp here, with the official release from the ELCA NEWS SERVICE:April 11, 2010ELCA Council Adopts Significant Revisions to Ministry Policies10-113-JBCHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Church Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) adopted a series of historic and sweeping revisions to ministry policy documents April 10, the result of months of extensive writing, comment and review by

ELCA Church Council Finishes Job, Moves On

2010-04-11T13:19:00.002-04:00

Shrimp again, just having checked the ELCA News Twitter Feed: #ELCA Council affirms timeline for 2011 genetics social statement, asks for conversation on future statements & report & recs in Nov. 1 minute ago via HootSuite#ELCA Council authorizes rite of "Reception to the Roster of Ordained Ministers" for ELM pastors OK'd by candidacy comms and who have call 6 minutes ago via HootSuite #ELCA

ELCA Church Council Is Busy...

2010-04-11T00:35:00.004-04:00

Shrimp here.The ELCA Church Council has been meeting and ELCA News has been updating on its Twitter feed. Here's the news so far: #ELCA Church Council re-elects Rev. Rebecca Larson to 4-year term as exec. dir., ELCA Church in Society program unit.about 5 hours ago via HootSuite#ELCA Church Council adopts revised Candidacy Manual.about 6 hours ago via HootSuiteChurch Council adopts revised

Whole lotta quaking going on

2010-04-09T11:39:00.004-04:00

Scallop here, requesting numbers check. Around the first of the month in February and March, reports of numbers of congregations exiting the ELCA congregation roster made their way into the blogosphere. So far: As of February 3, we have been advised that 220 congregations have taken votes to leave the ELCA. In 156 congregations, the first vote passed; in 64 congregations the first vote failed. 28

ELCT voices a big 'no' to same-sex marriages

2010-04-07T22:40:00.004-04:00

Shrimp here. Our title is a headline in The Citizen of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. Reporter Mkinga Mkinga begins: The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Tanzania (ELCT) has distanced itself from the recognition of same-sex marriages by Lutheran churches in the US and Sweden.The head of the ELCT, Bishop Alex Malasusa, said during his Easter Mass sermon at the Azania Front Church in Dar es Salaam that

A.R.E. You Reclaiming the [insert letter here] Word?

2010-03-06T16:29:00.005-04:00

Shrimp here. It's been some time since we last checked in with former ELCA pastor/seminary professor Kelly Fryer and A Renewal Enterprise. But we were clicking links on Facebook and found ourself on the page for a Facebook group called "Reclaiming the E Word" with a photo of the cover of Fryer's Augsburg Fortress "Lutheran Voices" book of that title.What struck us was the group's description,

ELCA-BOP Getting Ready for Same-Sex Partners

2010-03-03T18:50:00.002-04:00

Shrimp again, with today's ELCA News release. TTNF!ELCA Board of Pensions Trustees Begin Process for Benefit Plan Changes10-078-JBCHICAGO (ELCA) -- Trustees of the Board of Pensions of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) have taken steps to extend various plan benefits to eligible partners in same-gender relationships.At their Feb. 26-28 meeting in Minneapolis, the trustees adopted

Lutheran Youth Faith Formation

2010-02-26T05:44:00.001-04:00

Shrimp again. The thing about e-mails from synod offices is that they are easier to pass along for wider distribution than newletters and paper. Discover new resources for ministry at "Sacred Stories: Youth Faith Formation in an Interfaith World" conferenceConnect with other youth ministry workers and gain new interfaith youth ministry resources April 12-14, 2010, at "Sacred Stories: Youth

"The Mark Hanson Show" Returns

2010-02-26T03:16:00.001-04:00

Shrimp here, quick to point out that this post's title comes from a Forum Letter description of an ELCA Churchwide Assembly a few years back. Apparently the mini-series that shows up every 2 years isn't enough.A correspondent has forwarded this e-mail from a Synod office:Second online TOWN HALL FORUMSave the date!Join us on Sunday ... March 7 at 4 p.m. CSTYou're invited to join Bishop Mark

A "common" what?

2010-02-25T15:43:00.002-04:00

Shrimp here. While we find ourselves talking about sexuality a lot (indeed, probably waay too much), we at Shellfish have long been asserting that sexual, uh, confusion in the ELCA and other "mainline" (aka "oldline" or "side line") Protestant churches is merely a symptom of deeper troubles. It has been some time since we noted that we have "Evangelical Lutheran Church in America" as a setting

Anita Hill Approved for Ordained Ministry

2010-02-22T05:45:00.002-04:00

Shrimp here.Extraordinary Lutheran Ministries reports that Anita Hill, whose "extraordinary ordination" in 2001 helped kick off the process that led to the 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly's approval of a social statement on human sexuality and adjusting the standards for rostered ministry to permit the service of those in publicly accountable, lifelong, monogamous same sex relationships, has been

ELCA Responds to Lutheran CORE Announcement

2010-02-18T23:12:00.002-04:00

Shrimp again. ELCA News sent out this release a couple of hours ago.ELCA NEWS SERVICEFebruary 18, 2010ELCA Churchwide Organization Responds to Lutheran CORE Announcement10-067-JBCHICAGO (ELCA) -- The churchwide organization of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) said it "will continue to respond to those congregations with questions or concerns" related to the actions of the 2009

Lutheran CORE's Vision

2010-02-18T15:23:00.002-04:00

Shrimp again. Lutheran CORE's new "Vision and Plan" for itself and a new North American Lutheran Church is now online. The entire document runs 20 printed pages. We're posting the "summary" here, but you'll want to read the whole thing -- pdf format for download and printing or as a webpage for reading in your browser. February 18, 2010Commemoration of Dr. Martin Luther, Renewer of the Church

Lutheran CORE Proposes Reconfiguration

2010-02-18T14:48:00.005-04:00

Shrimp here. Lutheran CORE has just released "A Vision and Plan for The North American Lutheran Church and Lutheran CORE, a community of confessing Lutherans." Here's the press release.FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 18, 2010 Contacts: Mark Chavez - lcore@popp.net. - 717-898-0801 Ryan Schwarz - rschwarz@mba1994.hbs.edu - 202-285-3167 David Baer - editor@lutherancore.org - 605-641-

Bishop Mansholt Lifts Censure

2010-02-13T19:46:00.004-04:00

Shrimp here. While folks at The Lutheran Center (the formal name of the ELCA headquarters at 8765 W. Higgins Road, Chicago) are still trying to figure out how to re-write standards and policies to respect diametrically-opposed "bound consciences," the Bishop of the Central States Synod (originally called the Missouri-Kansas Synod) has acted in the case of a small congregation that called a

ELCA Congregational Votes Proceeding

2010-02-05T17:41:00.002-04:00

Shrimp again. The following message reportedly from ELCA Secretary David Swartling was forwarded to a Shellfish inbox: I write to update you on the number of congregations that have taken votes to terminate their relationship with the ELCA. This update is based upon information provided to the Office of the Secretary by synods. As of February 3, we have been advised that 220 congregations have

Northeastern Iowa Synod Council Repents!

2010-02-04T11:45:00.003-04:00

Shrimp here. According to The Lutheran Study Bible (the one from Concordia Publishing House, not to be confused with Augsburg Fortress' Lutheran Study Bible) "repent" means "turn around."Early last December Shellfish posted the resolutions of the Northeastern Iowa Synod Council "repudiating" the ELCA Churchwide Assembly's actions to approve the Social Statement Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust

And the Theme for Lent Is...

2010-02-03T23:08:00.005-04:00

Shrimp here. Whether you saw your shadow or not, looks like the ELCA is in for lots more winter. In our inbox yesterday just in time from the ELCA Washington for those who haven't figured out a theme for this Lent.....Climate JusticeWe were invited to share this widely within our networks. We know -- the Catechism is just so old-fashioned. But it's not a new sexuality statement. Share and

The ELCA's Economic Justice

2010-01-04T15:26:00.007-04:00

Shrimp here. 2010 set off on the wrong foot for some 500 employees of the ELCA's publishing ministry, reports the pretty good lutherans blog this morning. ELCA observers might keep the following in mind the next time they read ELCA officials addressing "economic justice" issues. Augsburg Fortress cancels retirement planHundreds of Augsburg Fortress workers and retirees learned over the weekend

ELCA News' "Merry Christmas" Announcement

2009-12-24T17:54:00.002-04:00

Shrimp here. In North America, it is mid-afternoon on Christmas Eve. The perfect time for the ELCA News Service, "a service for journalists and members of the news media," to take one last shot at the evening news. Who knows, maybe the local TV news crew will pick up the urgent message that just came over the wire, and the mention of "Lutheran Church" will inspire a few folks to show up for

Stirring Things Up

2009-12-22T23:13:00.002-04:00

Shrimp here. "Stir up your power, O Lord, and come," begins the the Prayer of the Day on the Fourth Sunday of Advent. (We've uses the LBW version here; ELW updates "O Lord" to "Lord Christ.") That was Sunday.Tuesday came the ELCA News headline, "Lutheran Bishops Offer Ideas to White House to Stir Economy." Begins the article, In a Dec. 16 letter to U.S. President Barack Obama, a caucus of

Evangelical Lutheran leader suggests Bible not the final authority (OneNewsNow.com)

2009-12-07T20:03:00.006-04:00

Shrimp here.That's the AP's headline, by the way, not ours. The article (go ahead, click and read; Shellfish isn't an AP agent) doesn't say a whole lot about ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson's, uh, responses to questions at the ELCA's Town Hall Forum held in what appeared to be the former Augsburg Fortress store on the ground level at The Lutheran Center late yesterday afternoon. But you can

Northeastern Iowa Synod Bishop's Pastoral Letter

2009-12-05T21:12:00.005-04:00

Shrimp here, with a tip o' the claw to Erik Ullestad's koinonia blog, where he posts a pastoral letter from Northeastern Iowa Synod Bishop Steven Ullestad. (Yes, they're related -- the Bishop is the Blogger's father.) The letter is in regard to the Northeastern Iowa Synod Council's actions (posted here and here) on actions of the ELCA Churchwide Assembly. Shrimp out.= = = = = = = = = =

Were You Invited to the ELCA Town Hall Forum?

2009-12-05T12:18:00.000-04:00

Shrimp here. Sunday's Bears game starts at 1:00 pm EST; the Vikings start at 8:20 pm. Shrimp out.Dear friend,Advent greetings to you! I am pleased to invite you to participate in an online Town Hall Forum with ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark S. Hanson on Sunday, December 6.The hour-long forum begins at 5:30 p.m. EST (4:30 p.m. CST) in a live Web cast.Here’s how you can participate:Watch the event via

Northeastern Iowa Synod Council Expresses Bound Conscience

2009-12-04T11:11:00.002-04:00

A RESOLUTION ON THE "BOUND CONSCIENCE" OF THE NORTHEASTERN IOWA SYNOD WITH RESPECT TO CHANGES IN MINISTRY POLICIESWHEREAS, The 2009 Churchwide Assembly of the ELCA has adopted 4 Recommendations on Ministry Policies (CA09.05.23; CA09.05.24; CA09.05.26; and CA09.05.27), andWHEREAS, CA09.05.23 states "that in the implementation of any resolutions on ministry policies, the ELCA commit itself to bear

Northeastern Iowa Synod Council "Repudiates" CWA Actions

2009-12-04T10:45:00.002-04:00

A RESOLUTION IN OPPOSITION TO THE ACTIONS OF THE 2009 CHURCHWIDE ASSEMBLYWHEREAS, the 2009 Churchwide Assembly of the ELCA has adopted the social statement, "Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust", andWHEREAS, in Part IV (lines 620 – 628 in the Pre-Assembly Report) this statement reads:The historic Christian tradition and the Lutheran Confessions have recognized marriage as a covenant between a man and

The Presiding Bishop's Pastoral Letter

2009-12-03T15:15:00.009-04:00

Shrimp here. In case you've not seen ELCA Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson's Advent pastoral letter that was released mid-November, here it is below. It's is, as we know now, the opening shot for his "Town Hall Forum" this Sunday afternoon at 4:30 (CST), where "Bishop Hanson will be taking questions from a live audience and online viewers." We may say more about that later. But first, the

Lutheran CORE to Launch New Denomination

2009-11-18T16:49:00.006-04:00

Shrimp here, with an announcement on the Lutheran CORE web site. We'll note that this announcement of a New Lutheran Church is for those leaving the ELCA, and that Lutheran CORE itself intends to remain a "free standing synod" for congregations inside and outside the ELCA. The press release is also available as a pdf document here. Shrimp out.Lutheran CORE leaders announce that a new Lutheran

Lutheran CORE: Reconfiguration Timeline

2009-10-31T14:23:00.004-04:00

Shrimp here, with the latest from Lutheran CORE. Shrimp out.October 29, 2009 Greetings in Jesus’ Name: "God is reforming the churches of the Reformation . . . The question for us is not so much whether we ought to re-vision Lutheranism in North America, but rather how will we respond to this clear invitation to re-vision Lutheranism in North America," Ryan Schwarz of Lutheran CORE Steering

CORE to Bouman: YES, We're Serious

2009-10-27T00:05:00.000-04:00

Shrimp again. Lutheran CORE has responded to Bishop Bouman's "open letter" of a couple of weeks ago. We've been told that Lutheran CORE first responded with this letter privately to Bishop Bouman, only publishing it on the Lutheran CORE web site after he would have received the letter in person. The letter follows. Shrimp out.October 16, 2009The Rev. Stephen P. Bouman8765 West Higgins

ELCA VP Peña: Why Lord?

2009-10-26T15:14:00.005-04:00

Shrimp here. We're not sure how to describe a letter to a church from its lay Vice-President -- "pastoral letter" doesn't quite sound right. Nevertheless, that's what ELCA folks have received. Tip o' the claw to the ELCA News release, "ELCA Vice President Addresses Dissatisfaction with Assembly Decisions." Shrimp out.Why Lord?A letter from ELCA Vice President Carlos PeñaDownload PDFOctober 23

Did the Churchwide Assembly Create a Confessional Crisis?

2009-10-24T15:28:00.004-04:00

Shrimp here. "Chicago, we have a problem." Thus notes Pr. Marshall Hahn, who presented the following at the last gathering of Call to Faithfulness, the Northeast Iowa Synod reform movement affiliated with Lutheran CORE. You can also find this on the Lutheran CORE Blog. Tip o' the claw to the author himself who posted it at ALPB Forum Online. You'll find it here, too, on the Call to

Bouman to CORE: Are You Serious?

2009-10-13T18:03:00.009-04:00

Shrimp here, thinking Lutheran CORE has struck a nerve at The Lutheran Center, where the ELCA's headquarters are located. The latest ELCA News release is headlined, "ELCA Director for Congregational Mission Addresses Lutheran CORE," and former Metro New York Synod Bishop Stephen Bouman's letter itself appears on both the ELCA website's Our Faithful Mission Together section and as breaking news

ELCA Bishops: "Slow Down!"

2009-10-07T15:27:00.007-04:00

Shrimp here, caught (with the rest of the crew here at Shellfish) between keeping our dear readers informed and helping faithful Lutherans rooted in the (now-deservedly maligned) ELCA lift up a common, faithful witness. We are, after all, but one tiny crustacean.In these unsettled days in the wake of the 2009 ELCA Churchwide Assembly, when the ELCA's Presiding Bishop cannot decide whether it is

Pastoral letter from Presiding Bishop Mark Hanson

2009-09-23T18:29:00.003-04:00

Shrimp here. ELCA Rostered Leaders are receiving the following in their e-mail inboxes today.= = = = = = = = = = =September 23, 2009Dear Colleague in Ministry,"And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly." (Colossians 3:15-16a)I give thanks to God for your faithful leadership and

The Philadelphia Seminary Speaks

2009-09-16T21:08:00.000-04:00

LTSP Statement on actions by ELCA Churchwide AssemblyLeaders of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) met in Minneapolis the week of August 17 to worship, pray, deliberate, and make decisions on issues for the church that were raised for their consideration. As a school of the ELCA, The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia (LTSP) is effected by the decisions made by church

Wartburg Seminary Speaks

2009-09-16T16:40:00.003-04:00

A Statement from Wartburg Seminary about the ELCA Decisions Regarding Human Sexualityclick for original pdf documentIn light of decisions made at the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Churchwide Assembly in August, 2009 regarding a social statement on human sexuality and the rostering of homosexual persons in covenanted partnerships, representatives of Wartburg Theological Seminary have been

Built on a rock the Church doth stand...

2009-09-09T22:31:00.002-04:00

Shrimp here, still trying to regain our bearings after the twister that hit Minneapolis. Since a picture is worth a thousand words, we're not sure what more to say than this photo of Central Lutheran's steeple we snapped during the ELCA's Churchwide Assembly.But here on the ELCA's web site, you'll be able to find lots of words -- the responses of ELCA Bishops to their synods following the

"Augustana Day" at The College

2009-08-17T14:16:00.007-04:00

Shrimp here, with a little something to divert you from the ELCA Churchwide Assembly.Say "Augustana, Rock Island" and some in the ELCA grow quite misty-eyed. They are thinking of the old Augustana College and Seminary, Dr. Conrad Bergendoff, and all the "wonderful things" of the Augustana Synod, the home of most Swedish-American Lutheran across the USA and Canada until it merged in 1962 with the

South Carolina Bishop: Yes on #1

2009-08-16T16:48:00.005-04:00

Shrimp here. If you know where to look it actually is on the South Carolina Synod's website (at least until the next synod newsletter is published). We first we had to download it (watch, this is a 12-page pdf newsletter) from the link provided in a Charleston (South Carolina) Post and Courier article in today's Sunday edition, "Church tackles sexuality," to figure that out. "It" being Bishop

Goodsoil's "A-list Bishops" to Meet for Assembly

2009-08-15T12:56:00.001-04:00

Shrimp again, with a preview of events at the ELCA Churchwide Assembly that begins this Monday. For instance, the "full inclusion" forces have put on their website, Goodsoil intends to have a presence during all parts of Churchwide. From graceful engagement with voting members during meals to a large, public worship service, Goodsoil intends to be involved with every aspect of the Assembly.That

NW Minnesota Bishop: Squandered Opportunity

2009-08-14T22:15:00.004-04:00

Shrimp here. In February we posted reactions of several ELCA Bishop's to Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust, the ELCA's proposed Social Statement on Human Sexuality. We've now discovered (thanks to the Editor of Forum Letter) a response to the statement by Bishop Larry Wohlrabe of the Northwestern Minnesota Synod and posted on his blog on Wednesday. You'll want to read the whole thing, but we

Survey: ELCA Clergy Support Gay Clergy and Relationships

2009-08-13T14:00:00.009-04:00

Shrimp here, with a press release from Public Religion Research about a 2008 survey of "senior clergy from the seven largest Mainline denominations: United Methodist Church, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, American Baptist Churches USA, Presbyterian Church USA, Episcopal Church, United Church of Christ, and Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)." Tip o' the claw to ELCA News. We don't

"Jesus came for sinners, but he did tell us not to sin." (click title)

2009-08-13T01:52:00.002-04:00

Chilstrom's Open Letter

2009-08-02T08:11:00.001-04:00

You might find this interesting.

Hong Kong Lutheran Bishop: "Profound Embarassment"

2009-07-30T09:10:00.005-04:00

Shrimp here. No, we haven't forgotten the trials of the ELCA. We've been traveling and been away from the internet -- it is a good thing, when able, to step away from the fray for a bit to be spiritually recharged.Meanwhile, Pastor Richard Johnson of the ALPB's Forum Letter has posted the following letter from Bishop Nicholas Tai of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Hong Kong (a sister church

The Absolute Worst Thing

2009-07-30T00:32:00.005-04:00

Dear Readers of Shellfish: What is the absolute worst thing? Well, that would depend on who you are. If you are called into the ministry, the worst thing you could become is an advocate of a false gospel. If you are a shepherd, becoming a wolf is the worst thing. It would be better for you to have a millstone tied around your neck and to be tossed into the sea than to lead one of the

What A.R.E. They Thinking, Still?

2009-07-01T06:28:00.012-04:00

Shrimp here, with an update on this post from a year ago.A.R.E is A Renewal Enterprise, the outfit whose managing partners include disgraced former-ELCA pastor Kelly Fryer and her life-partner, who also serve as synodically-blessed"co-pastoral leaders" for the ELCA congregation that wanders around the Chicago Loop. Last year we noted that Ms. Fryer was pretty busy speaking about "renewal" at

Open Letter from the Silesian Lutheran Church

2009-06-29T12:09:00.002-04:00

Shrimp here. This open letter from Bishop Stanislav Piętak of the Silesian Evangelical Church of the Augsburg Confession (the largest Lutheran church in the Czech Republic) was sent to the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod, its ELCA Companion Synod, and is posted on the Lutheran Forum web site.Český Těšín, May 4, 2009Dear Bishop and Leaders of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Synod,I greet you with

Churchwide Assembly Lacks Authority

2009-06-21T22:35:00.005-04:00

Shrimp again. In the following resolution entitled "Usurped Authority," the 2009 WordAlone Network convention a few weeks ago expresses its grave concern that the churchwide assembly is being led to vote on matters over which it has no legitimate authority and calls for the assembly to refrain from voting on the task force documents.Here's the entire resolution: Usurped AuthorityAdopted April 27

The Necessity of Resistance

2009-06-19T01:06:00.005-04:00

Shrimp here, with this statement presented by the WordAlone Network's Theological Advisory Board to the recent WordAlone Network Annual Convention, which accepted it.The Necessity of ResistanceApproved April 27, 2009 by the WordAlone Network Annual Convention and referred to Lutheran CORE for consideration. First, the biblical witness concerning marriage, the family and sexual practices has

Polygamists demand multi-sex marriage Activists: "New Hampshire plan embeds bigotry"

2009-06-06T12:34:00.004-04:00

QUEERLY BELOVEDWorldNetDaily ExclusiveNext frontier? Polygamistsdemand multi-sex marriageActivists: New Hampshire planembeds bigotry into state lawPosted: June 05, 200910:30 pm EasternBy Bob UnruhWorldNetDailyA polygamy advocacy organization says the New Hampshire law that is intended to assure "equal access to marriage" for all instead specifically embeds in state statutes bigotry against

ELCA Seminarians Oppose Task Force Recommendations

2009-06-04T13:11:00.004-04:00

Shrimp again. We've already brought to your attention an Open Letter from ELCA Seminarians to the ELCA Bishops, currently with 254 signatures, in support of the Report and Recommendation on Ministry Policies that, if adopted, would allow for the rostered ministry of practicing gay and lesbian persons in the ELCA. Now the newest edition of Lutheran (True!) Confessions ("News, Gossip, Innuendo,

The Kirk Offers Hint to the ELCA

2009-05-27T22:11:00.004-04:00

Shrimp again. Every once in a while, someone suggests that the ELCA simply refuse to discuss sexuality matters for a period of time. You know, if we just agree to make no decisions about sex for a generation or two and concentrate on evangelizing the unchurched, our grandchildren will be able to discuss the matter (in a much larger, more firmly established ELCA). Now the Church of Scotland is

LSTC Faculty Chimes In (Again)

2009-05-26T22:35:00.005-04:00

Shrimp here. Most of the faculty at the ELCA's Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago is speaking up on proposed sexuality social statement and the recommendations on ministry policies. According to an ELCA News release,an April 2 letter LSTC students, predominantly members of the senior class, "invited and implored" the seminary's faculty to respond to the documents, according to Dr.

Shreck: Don't Act Unilaterally

2009-05-23T20:24:00.002-04:00

Shrimp here. From 1998-2008 Pastor Paul Schreck served in the ELCA's Office of the Secretary and also in the ELCA ecumenical affairs department, working closely with ELCA Secretary Lowell Almen and in the Lutheran-Roman Catholic dialogues. He has been without a call since last August. In the just-out June 2009 issue of The Lutheran magazine, Pastor Schreck addresses recommendations on ministry

Open Letter to ELCA Churchwide Assembly Voters

2009-05-19T19:37:00.002-04:00

Shrimp here, with a tip o' the claw to Pastor Zip, who managed to provide for us most of the original formatting. It's a to-the-point Open Letter to the ELCA Churchwide Assembly's Voting Members from a group of 59 ELCA leaders and theologians assembled recently by Lutheran CORE. We'll let Prof. Bob Benne introduce it himself (in a cover letter he sent to some associates last week), then you can

ELCA Theologians and Leaders Call for Defeat of Sexuality Proposals

2009-05-19T19:27:00.001-04:00

A press release from Lutheran CORE:Prominent Lutheran theologians and church leaders affirm biblical teaching on sexuality and call for defeat of ELCA sexuality proposalsMay 19, 2009 — Prominent Lutheran theologians and church leaders have written an Open Letter to the Voting Members of the 2009 Churchwide Assembly of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) asking them to affirm

How "Your Father's ELCA" Became "Your Children's ELCA

2009-05-07T19:30:00.007-04:00

Shrimp again.145 of the ELCA's "Teaching Theologians" have signed on to "Appropriate Next Steps for the ELCA," a statement written by Professors Ralph Klein and Barbara Rossing at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago supporting the Report and Recommendation on Ministry Policies. We put "Teaching Theologians" inside the quotation marks because, while there are indeed some pretty significant

Your Children's ELCA?

2009-05-07T09:57:00.000-04:00

Shrimp here. As of this moment, 203 ELCA Seminarians are chiming in for the Churchwide Assembly with the following:AN OPEN LETTER FROM LUTHERAN SEMINARIANS TO THE BISHOPS OF THE ELCAGrace to you and peace,We come to you as Lutheran seminarians pursuing a variety of callings and ministries, studying in both Lutheran and non-Lutheran seminaries. Recognizing our diversity in background, sexuality,

Your Father's ELCA?

2009-05-03T00:21:00.004-04:00

Shrimp again. About 20 years ago, the storied American automobile brand Oldsmobile introduced a new slogan: "This is not your father's Oldsmobile." Then there's the announced worship at this summer's ELCA Churchwide Assembly:Assembly Worship ScheduleMon. 8/17, 4:00 P.M.Holy Communion Presiding Minister & Preacher: Mark Hanson Joel 2:28-32 Psalm 104:24-31, 35b

Bishop Hanson: 50 Days of Prayer and Study for the Assembly

2009-05-02T14:53:00.003-04:00

Shrimp here, with an e-mail sent Thursday to all ELCA pastors from the Presiding Bishop. April 27, 2009Dear Colleagues in Ministry,Grace to you and peace in the name of our crucified and risen Christ. Alleluia!Recently I spent a day in Bible study and prayer with the pastors who will preach in worship each day at the Churchwide Assembly in August. The richness of the conversation reminded me how

Changing the Conversation?

2009-04-20T10:31:00.002-04:00

Cap'n Bill here: Read the following article at USA Today, and follow the comments. From the end of the opinion piece:" As a 26-year-old, I feel a lot like others within my generation. I have deep sympathy for my friends who are gay. They often suffer as societal pariahs at the hands of misinformed Christians who believe that gays have chosen their sexual orientation. Though I unashamedly believe

A Missional Church

2009-04-16T20:56:00.003-04:00

Shrimp here.House for All Sinners and Saints' is a group of folks figuring out how to be a liturgical, Christo-centric, social justice oriented, queer inclusive, incarnational, contemplative, irreverent, ancient - future church with a progressive but deeply rooted theological imagination.That's from the front page of one of those "emerging churches," brought to Shrimp's attention by our, uh,

Holy Matrimony, Holy Trinity

2009-04-16T13:51:00.002-04:00

From the website for Institute on Religion & Democracywww.TheIRD.orgDear Friend,Last week was a tough one for proponents of traditional marriage. Iowa and Vermont were added to the list of states legalizing same-sex marriages. Vermont—where those who favored same-sex marriage were estimated to have outspent the opponents by twenty to one—is the first state to legalize these relationships by a

Holy Saturday for the ELCA according to the AP

2009-04-15T15:40:00.005-04:00

Shrimp here. On Holy Saturday as Christians all across the land were transforming their churches from the stark barrenness of Good Friday to the joyous extravaganzas of Easter Sunday, the Associated Press wire decided that the following was the pre-Easter story of your Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. The news story appears across the land in headlines likeAt one Lutheran church, gay,

President Obama and family host 'green' Easter fest - and make it gay

2009-04-14T08:57:00.002-04:00

BY Michael Mcauliff DAILY NEWS WASHINGTON BUREAUWASHINGTON - You might call this green eggs and Bam, after President Obama hatched a whole new style of White House Easter celebration on Monday. Among the innovations: The White House rolled out new "green," environmentally friendly souvenir eggs and invited gay parents. . ."The administration really reached out, and there are gay and lesbian

"The injustice of Iowa's ruling on gay marriage"

2009-04-13T11:16:00.001-04:00

Its central focus on emotions erodes moral principles and law.By Matthew J. FranckThe Christian Science MonitorPrinceton, N.J. - When the Iowa Supreme Court proclaimed last Friday that gays have a right to marry, it insisted that its groundbreaking decision rested squarely on the state constitution's equal protection clause.In reality, the court's bland overturning of foundational moral

Shellfish Alert: Bishop says Religion hampers gay civil rights

2009-04-07T14:56:00.002-04:00

Cap'n Bill here with a diminutive "AAAAAAAAAARRGH!!!" because it is all so hohumm don't you know to hear that the man who does not want to be known as "The Gay Bishop" (but somehow speaks of little else as he storms across the Western World ---wouldn't you like to hear him once being interviewed in the Mideast or Africa?). Anyway, here he is in being profiled and quoted by the MSM again and we